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C5-C8 Incomplete stretch injury

Hello!

My husband experienced his spinal cord injury in October 2016 as a result of a fall. This caused him to dislocate his C5 and C6 vertebra and "stretch" the spinal cord. Since then, he has been paralyzed from the mid-chest down. He has full sensation and has even regained some movement in his feet (one day he can do it and then the next he can't. It comes and goes.). While he has been at inpatient rehab, we attended a class that talked about how patients do not normally sweat below their injury line. I have noticed with him, he still sweats on his lower back and even down to his feet. Its not related to an infection or trouble with his bladder or bowels but happens as a reaction to environment temperature. Does this mean anything? Also, he has had to overcome some complications with a feeding tube and had difficulty getting off of the ventilator after the injury requiring periods of time where he was unable to be in rehab or get out of bed*. Has this reduced the likelihood of being able to regain movement or mobility since he has spent so much time in bed? or has it just simply delayed the progress?

**He is currently healthy and participating in therapy. Just curious if those periods of time had an impact on his recovery.

I speak with zero authority on this (other than my injury being on roughly the same level and complete), but his recovery so far seems excellent and very encouraging. I was told to look for recovery over the first 18 months. If he missed a few weeks don't sweat it. There's nothing you can do about that now anyway.

Temperature irregulation is not uncommon in cervical cord injured individuals. His symptoms sound like a clammy type of response related to the temperature.

His length of time in bed is not related to loss in recovery time or rehab potential. It is more indicative that he had significant injuries that required medical intervention.

Recovery of sensation is a double edged benefit. When sensation returns it may be spotty in some areas and no trouble in other areas. With return of sensation also comes return of pain sensors. This sensation can be likened to nerve fibers that have been frayed on the ends.